Eastern Produce Council Celebrates 50th Anniversary
February 17, 2016 | 2 min to read
On Saturday, April 9th, the Eastern Produce Council will host their Annual Dinner Dance at The Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, NJ and celebrate their 50th Anniversary as a council. In attendance to mark this special occasion will be many of the EPC’s Past Presidents and former EPC Men of the Year Al Ferri and Joe Procacci will both be inducted into the council’s Hall of Fame.
Founded in 1966 in New York City, the Eastern Produce Council's mission is to provide their membership with multiple networking opportunities and the most relevant, up-to-date information available in the produce industry and to advance the sales and awareness of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Originally called the Produce Sales Club by its charter members, the EPC was formed primarily as a social organization that gave members a chance to work closely with each other, collaborating rather than competing, while discussing experiences and insights common to everyone in the fresh produce market. Three years later, the Produce Sales Club became the Eastern Produce Council with a new name and a renewed purpose for engaging members.
Today, more than 350 members span a variety of categories such as growers, retailers, wholesalers, vendors/brokers, logistics and transportation professionals who all come together to support their industry and give back to the community. To that end, portions of the funds generated from their annual Golf Outing, New York Produce Show (presented together with Produce Business) and Dinner Dance are shared with Food Banks in NY/NJ, Hackensack’s University’s Tomorrows Children’s Fund, NJ Farmers Against Hunger, Lead NY (Cornell University) and scholarships for Rutgers’ agricultural majors. In addition, the council works closely with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to place salad bars in schools to promote healthy eating and support the NJ School Garden Program.
For the past 25 years, the EPC was led by industry veteran John McAleavey. Since his passing in June, his daughter, Susan McAleavey Sarlund, has succeeded him in the Executive Director role. Together with the council’s volunteer Board President Vic Savanello, Vice-Presidents Marianne Santo and Greg Veneziano, Secretary Rob Goldstein, Treasurer Sal Zacchia and the EPC’s Officers & Directors, Susan will continue to guide the organization towards future growth and success.
For more information about the Eastern Produce Council or to become a member, visit their website easternproducecouncil.com.
Source: Eastern Produce Council